4th Annual Swan and Dolphin Food and Wine Classic – A Recap!

The Swan and Dolphin Resort at Walt Disney World hosted its 4th Annual Food and Wine Classic last weekend October 18-19, 2013 featuring a diverse selection of innovative cuisine by award-winning chefs.

Returning for its fourth year, the Food and Wine Classic features resort chefs’ dishes and drinks from around the world.

Signature restaurants that participated include Shula’s Steak House, Il Mulino New York Trattoria and Todd English’s bluezoo – all located on the premises of the Swan and Dolphin hotel.

There is a certain magic about the Food and Wine Classic that leaves me in complete awe. From the educational seminars to exploring culinary innovation, my mind and taste buds were deeply satisfied.

I had the opportunity to join the festivities on Friday evening and the view of the sunset glistening over the water with talented musicians performing in the background made this evening perfect.

Tony Porcellini has been with the Swan and Dolphin for 26 years and oversees 17 restaurants on the property. He is noted for his groundbreaking concepts and venues, such as Shula’s Steakhouse and Bluezoo.

The most valuable part of my evening was attending the Wine Blending Seminar with Tony Porcellini, Certified Sommelier and Director of Food and Beverage.

The event is so vibrant that you can enjoy it with a group of friends or your significant other for a fun date.

With over 40 food and beverage stations, there was never a moment wasted as you can imagine the endless myriad of dishes and wines. And the experience would not have been complete without the wine blending seminar.

Each dish was prepared fresh to order and fast on-site to accommodate the large number of attendees while still maintaining the flavors and quality. I really appreciate the amount of effort it took to plan a beautiful evening and the friendly representation at every booth. Well done to the entire team at Walt Disney World’s Swan and Dolphin for the Food and Wine Classic! Can’t wait till next year’s selections – only 12 months away…

KRYSTLE NGUYEN is a food enthusiast and many of her childhood memories were created in the restaurants that her parents owned while she was growing up - trying new dishes and interacting with customers. You can catch her on the weekends exploring Orlando or helping her parents manage the family restaurant, Saigon Noodle and Grill. Photos taken by Krystle Nguyen with the Nikon D5000 DSLR and Olympus OM-D E-M10.